An electrophotographic printing process involves creating an image on a photoconductive surface or photo imaging plate (PIP). The image that is formed on the photoconductive surface is a latent electrostatic image having image and background areas with different electric potentials. When an electrophotographic ink composition containing charged ink particles is brought into contact with the selectively charged photoconductive surface, the charged ink particles adhere to the image areas of the latent image while the background areas remain clean. The image is then transferred to a print substrate (e.g. paper) either directly or by first being transferred to an intermediate transfer member (e.g. a soft swelling blanket) and then to the print substrate.
One component of a liquid electrophotographic printer is a liquid electrophotographic ink developer unit. Such a unit includes a developer roller, which is used to develop and transport a uniform layer of ink onto the photoconductive surface.